RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To build the physical model of four suturae which are related to the growth of maxilla in the three-dimensional finite-element model of maxillofacial bones.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A 16 years old volunteer with individual normal occlusion, good periodontium health condition and without diseases of temporomandibular joint was chosen to be the material of modeling. The three-dimensional finite-element model of the volunteer's maxillofacial bones was built using the CT scan and the finite-element modeling method. Finally we built the physical model of four suturae which were related to the growth of maxilla in the model of maxillofacial bones.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The model of maxillofacial bones with 86,575 nodes and 485,915 elements was generated. This model contained four suturae including sutura frontomaxillaris, sutura zygomaticomaxillaris, sutura temporozygomatica and sutura pterygopalatine.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A three-dimensional finite-element model of maxillofacial bones with good biological similarity was developed.</p>